Device method and computer programme product for carrying out a process for the filtration of fluids

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a filtration system and method for carrying out a process for the filtration of fluids, comprising at least one filtration device with at least one filtration element comprising readable data and a check and/or test apparatus to which the filtration device may be connected, by means of data and testing means lines. The check and/or testing device is connected to a process controller, by data exchange means, for regulation and control of the filtration process and the process controller is connected to a filtration databank, by means of data exchange means, which comprises data sets for at least one filter element and/or for each filtration device and/or for the filtration process. The invention further relates to a computer programme product for carrying out a filtration process on fluids whereby programme components may be called up from a programme memory which support the carrying out of the filtration process.

[0001] The invention relates to an apparatus for carrying out afiltration process for fluids, comprising at least one filtrationapparatus having at least one filter element that has legible data, amonitoring and/or test set to which the filtration apparatuses can beconnected via data and test equipment lines.

[0002] The invention also relates to a method for carrying out afiltration process for fluids via filter elements which are located infiltration apparatuses, in which at least a minimum amount ofidentification data is supplied to a monitoring and/or test set.

[0003] The invention likewise relates to a computer program product forcarrying out a filtration process for fluids as claimed in one of claims21 to 28.

[0004] A filtration system for carrying out a filtration process isknown from EP 0 700 313 B1. The filtration system comprises a filtrationapparatus having a filter element, which has legible data, and amonitoring appliance, to which the filtration apparatus can be connectedvia data and test equipment lines. The legible data is arranged on anelectronic label, whose data can be read by a reading device, which isadjacent to the electronic label, and can be supplied to the monitoringunit. The aim of this is to identify in particular whether a specifiedfilter has been installed. Provision is also made for the number ofoperating hours of the filter to be stored and for the filtrationappliance or filtration system to be switched off when the maximumpermissible number of operating hours has been reached. The electroniclabel and the reading device form an electronic identification system,in an interactive version of which data for the filtration appliance isstored in the label.

[0005] The known filtration system has the disadvantage that, even as aninteractive system, it is essentially restricted to the checking of thefilter elements. No provision is therefore made for complete monitoringof the filtration process in the known filtration system.

[0006] Another disadvantage is that, when using an interactive system,the electronic label or each filter element must be equipped with amemory. This on the one hand increases the price of the filter elementsand on the other hand only a restricted amount of memory space can bemade available.

[0007] The object of the present invention is thus to provide afiltration system in which, on the one hand, the entire filtrationprocess, and, on the other hand, the filter elements and/or thefiltration apparatuses, can be monitored in a financially worthwhile andcost-effective manner.

[0008] This object is achieved in conjunction with the precharacterizingclause of claim 1 in that the monitoring and/or test set can beconnected via data interchange means to a process control device forclosed-loop and open-loop control of the filtration process, and in thatthe process control device can be connected via data interchange meansto a filter element database, which has data records for at least eachfilter element and/or each filtration apparatus and/or for thefiltration process.

[0009] Since the monitoring and/or test set can be connected to aprocess control device for closed-loop and open-loop control of thefiltration process, the entire filtration process can be monitored andcontrolled. Since the process control device can be connected to afilter element database, the filter elements and the filtrationapparatuses need only be identified. There is therefore no need for acomplex and relatively expensive memory element directly with the filterelements. After identification of the respective filter elements orfiltration apparatuses, the data which is required for monitoring can beobtained easily, cost-effectively and reliably from the filter elementdatabase. One particular advantage is that only one filter elementdatabase is required. It is even possible to arrange just one singlefilter element database centrally at the manufacturer's premises.

[0010] According to one preferred embodiment of the invention, theprocess control device has an electrical memory element which can beassociated with each filtration apparatus and in which data can bestored for each of the filter elements of the filtration apparatusesand/or the filtration process to be carried out. The data which has beenread from the filter element database can be stored in the electronicmemory element, and can be associated with the filter elements orfiltration apparatuses. It is also possible to store new data determinedwhile the filtration process is taking place.

[0011] According to a further preferred embodiment of the invention, thelegible data for the filter elements represents at least individualizingidentification data for the filter element. The identification data mayin this case be legible or be read visually and/or by machine. If readvisually, the identification data must be entered manually, so thatinput errors may occur. If the identification data is machine-legible,transmission errors are avoided.

[0012] Identification data may comprise numbers or letters oralphanumeric characters and/or bar codes and/or data matrices and/orelectronic elements. It is also possible for the electronic elements tobe in the form of transponders.

[0013] An external filter element database (which is arranged, forexample, at the manufacturer's premises) has the advantage that it isalways up-to-date and the latest knowledge can be included in thefiltration process. However, it is also possible to arrange the filterelement database in the monitoring and/or test set or in the processcontrol device, and to integrate it in this device. This database canthen be updated with the aid of data from an external database.

[0014] According to a further preferred embodiment of the invention, thedata records in the filter element database comprise identificationdata, limiting data and product release data for each of the filterelements and/or the filtration apparatus and/or for the filtrationprocess. In this case, article numbers and individual numbers for thefilter elements and for the filtration apparatuses as well as codes forthe filtration process are used as identification data. Integrity datafor the filter elements, temperature details, pressure details, pHvalues, a substance concentration, flow details, operating times, life,flow rates for fluid to be filtered or for filtrate, the number ofpermissible sterilization and/or cleaning cycles of the filtrationprocess can be used as limiting data. At the same time, integrity data,determined by the manufacturer for the filter elements can be used asproduct release data. The large number of data items which can be usedallow complex and reliable monitoring of the filtration process.

[0015] According to a further preferred embodiment of the invention, thedata interchange means, that is to say in particular the connectionbetween the process control device and the filter element database,represents a data network. An intranet or the Internet may be used, inparticular, in this case as the data network. Beams, in particular lightbeams, infrared beams or radio-frequency beams, may also be used as thedata interchange means. It is also possible to use mobile data storagemedia for interchanging data.

[0016] Filter cartridges, filter capsules, filter cassettes, filterwinding modules, flat filter elements or combinations of them may beused, in particular, as the filter elements.

[0017] The known methods for carrying out a filtration process forfluids have the disadvantages mentioned above.

[0018] A further object of the invention is therefore to improve theknown methods such that cost-effective and reliable monitoring of afiltration process can be carried out.

[0019] This object is achieved in conjunction with the characterizingclause of claim 21 in that the filtration process is started, is carriedout and/or is stopped on reaching a limiting data item via a processcontrol device, which is connected to the monitoring and/or test set bysupplying the identification data, by providing limiting data andproduct release data from a filter element database and by determiningintegrity and/or filtration process data while carrying out thefiltration process and by comparison of the data.

[0020] The supply and reading of the identification data and limitingdata associated with the identification data, and product release datafrom the filter element database, in conjunction with the determinationof integrity and/or filtration data while carrying out the filtrationprocess ensure that the filtration process is carried out in a complex,reliable manner.

[0021] Since the filter elements, which have to be replaced frequently,need be directly associated only with identification data, the methodcan at the same time be carried out cost-effectively.

[0022] According to one preferred embodiment of the invention, themethod for carrying out a filtration process is carried out in thefollowing steps:

[0023] a) the individualizing identification data for each filterelement for each filtration apparatus and/or identification data for thefiltration process to be carried out are/is entered in the processcontrol device,

[0024] b) the identification data according to a) is transferred to thefilter element database and a check is carried out to determine whetherthe filter elements and/or filtration apparatuses specified orpermissible for the filtration process have been selected, and whetherthe filter elements and/or the filtration apparatus have/has beenreleased for this purpose,

[0025] c) the filtration system is inhibited if at least one filterelement and/or one filtration apparatus has been chosen incorrectly orif at least one filter element is inhibited,

[0026] d) limiting data and product release data for each of the filterelements for each filtration apparatus and/or each filtration apparatusand/or for the filtration process are called up from the filter elementdatabase by the process control device, and this data is entered, or isadded and entered, in the electrical memory element that is associatedwith the respective filtration apparatus for storage of limit values andproduct release values for process data and/or integrity data,

[0027] e) permissible tolerance values are determined and stored,

[0028] f) the filtration process is started by the process controldevice,

[0029] g) process data and/or integrity data are/is measured by themonitoring and/or test set and this data is entered, or is added andentered, in the respective memory element,

[0030] h) a comparison process is carried out to determine whether themeasured process data and/or integrity data or their/its sumsexceed/exceeds one of the permissible tolerance values,

[0031] i) the filtration process is terminated and the filtration systemis inhibited when one of the tolerance values is reached or exceeded andthe filter elements in the filter element database are inhibited.

[0032] The association of identification data and corresponding data inthe filter element database reliably ensures that filter elements and/orfiltration apparatuses which are not permissible are identified and thatthe filtration system is inhibited. Calling up limiting data and productrelease data makes it possible to check whether limiting data hasalready been reached, so that the filtration process can be inhibitedeven before it is actually started. The association of identificationdata with the filter elements and process data makes it possible todetermine and to store the permissible tolerance values even before theactual filtration process is started, so that this data is available forthe monitoring of the filtration process. Measurement of the process andintegrity data as well as entering and adding this data in theappropriate memory element allow the specific process and/or integritydata to be easily compared with the permissible tolerance values, andthe filtration system to be inhibited if the permissible tolerancevalues are exceeded. The storage of the current process data and thefilter element database reliably avoid filter elements and filtrationapparatuses which have exceeded the permissible tolerance valuespossibly being used again.

[0033] According to a further preferred embodiment of the invention, thecurrent process data is stored as a record in the filter elementdatabase.

[0034] The recording of the current process data makes it possible tounderstand relatively easily why permissible tolerance values have beenexceeded and the filtration system has been inhibited.

[0035] A further object of the invention is to propose a computerprogram product for carrying out a filtration process.

[0036] This object is achieved in conjunction with the precharacterizingclause of claim 29 in that program parts can be called up from a programmemory and assist the process of carrying out the filtration process.

[0037] Since the supporting program parts can be called up from aprogram or program memory, this considerably simplifies the design of anappropriate apparatus and the method.

[0038] According to one preferred embodiment of the invention, programparts can be called up from the program memory which assist thecommunication between the filter elements and/or the filtrationapparatuses and the monitoring and/or test set and/or a process controldevice and/or the filter element database.

[0039] The program parts which assist communication allow and speed upthe automatic communication in particular between the filter elementsand the process control device and the filter element database even whena large amount of data has to be interchanged.

[0040] Further preferred embodiments are described in the dependentclaims.

[0041] Further details of the invention will become evident from thefollowing comprehensive description and from the attached drawings,which illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention by way ofexample, and in which:

[0042]FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of an apparatus for carryingout a filtration process for fluids with an external filter elementdatabase,

[0043]FIG. 2 shows a schematic illustration of an apparatus for carryingout a filtration process for fluids, with a filter element databasewhich is integrated in a process control device and with an externaldatabase, and

[0044]FIG. 3 shows a schematic illustration of a method procedure forcarrying out a filtration process.

[0045] A filtration system 1 for carrying out a filtration process forfluids essentially comprises filtration apparatuses 2, 3, a monitoringand/or test set 4, a process control device 5 and a filter elementdatabase 6.

[0046] The first filtration apparatus 2 and the second filtrationapparatus 3 are connected in series and are connected to one another viaa fluid line 7. Depending on the filtration process, one or morefiltration apparatuses 2, 3 may be used, or may be connected in seriesor else in parallel. In the example, the first filtration apparatus 2has two filter elements 8. The filtration apparatus 3 has one filterelement 8. The filter elements 8 may be same or may differ. At theirupper end, the filter elements 8 have legible data 9, which is read by areader that is not illustrated. The reader that is not illustratedpasses on the legible data 9 via the monitoring and/or test set 4 to theprocess control device 5.

[0047] The filtration apparatuses 2, 3 are connected via data and testequipment lines 10 to the monitoring and/or test set 4. The monitoringand/or test set 4 is connected to the process control device 5 via datainterchange means 11. As is shown in FIG. 1, the process control device5 is connected to the filter element database 6 via data interchangemeans 12. The filter element database 6 is in the form of an externaldatabase, as shown in FIG. 1. A data or computer network is used as thedata interchange means.

[0048] As is shown in FIG. 2, the filter element database 6′ isintegrated in the process control device 5′. The filter element database6′ may in particular be connected to an external database 14 via datainterchange means 13.

[0049] The process control device 5, 5′ provides closed-loop andopen-loop control for the filtration process via control lines, whichare not illustrated, and actuating and control elements. The processcontrol device 5 has an electronic memory element 15, which can beassociated with each filtration apparatus 2, 3 and each filter element 8and in which data can be stored for the respective filter elements 8 ofthe filtration apparatuses 2, 3 and/or for the filtration process to becarried out.

[0050] In order to carry out the method, the identification data whichis arranged on the filter elements 8 is entered in the memory element15. Furthermore, the filter element and process data from the filterelement database 6, 6′ is entered in the memory element 15. The processcontrol device 5, 5′ then checks whether permissible filter elements 8and/or filtration apparatuses 2, 3 are being used. If filter elements 8or filtration apparatuses 2, 3 which are not permissible are being used,the filtration system 1 is inhibited, and the filter elements 8 and/orthe filtration apparatuses 2, 3 are identified in the filter elementdatabase 6, 6′ as being inhibited. If they are being used permissibly,the limiting data and product release values are called from the filterelement database 6, 6′ and/or from the electronic memory element 15. Ifany limiting data has been reached, the filtration system is inhibited,and the fact that the limiting data has been reached is stored in thefilter element database 6, 6′.

[0051] If the limiting data has not been exceeded, the permissibletolerance values are determined and are stored in the electronic memoryelement 15. The filtration process is then actually started. Controlledby the process control device 5, the process and integrity data ismeasured and is entered and added in the electronic memory element 15.If the sum of the specific process and/or integrity data exceeds thepermissible tolerance values, the filtration system 1 is inhibited, andthe fact that the filtration system 1 and/or the filter elements 8 hasor have been inhibited is stored in the filter element database 6, 6′.The current process data is likewise stored in the filter elementdatabase 6, so that, if the filtration process is carried out more thanonce, it is possible to access the most recent, current process data inthe filter element database 6, 6′.

[0052] The process control device 5 is associated with a computerprogram product for carrying out the filtration process, in whichprogram parts can be called up from a program memory, which is notillustrated, to assist the process of carrying out the filtrationprocess and/or the method for carrying out a filtration process.

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 31. A filtration system for carrying out a filtrationprocess for fluids, comprising at least one filtration apparatus havingat least one filter element that has legible data, a monitoring and/ortest set to which the filtration apparatuses can be connected via dataand test equipment lines, wherein the improvement is that the monitoringand/or test set (4) can be connected via data interchange means (11) toa process control device (5) for closed-loop and open-loop control ofthe filtration process, and in that the process control device (5) canbe connected via data interchange means to a filter element database(6), which has data records for at least each filter element (8) and/oreach filtration apparatus (2, 3) and/or for the filtration process. 32.The filtration system as claimed in claim 31, wherein the processcontrol device (5, 5′) has an electronic memory element (15) which canbe associated with each filtration apparatus (2, 3) and in which datacan be stored for each of the filter elements (8) of the filtrationapparatuses (2, 3) and/or the filtration process to be carried out. 33.The filtration system as claimed in claim 31, wherein the legible data(9) for the filter elements (8) represents at least individualizingidentification data for the filter element (8).
 34. The filtrationsystem as claimed in claim 33, wherein the identification data ismachine-legible and/or can be read visually.
 35. The filtration systemas claimed in claim 33, wherein the identification data comprisesnumbers or letters or alphanumeric characters and/or bar codes and/ordata matrices and/or electronic elements.
 36. The filtration system asclaimed in claim 35, wherein the electronic elements are in the form oftransponders.
 37. The filtration system as claimed in claim 33, whereinthe filter element database (6) is arranged externally.
 38. Thefiltration system as claimed in claim 31, wherein the filter elementdatabase (6′) is integrated in the monitoring and/or test set (4) or inthe process control device (5′).
 39. The filtration system as in claim31, wherein the data records for the filter element database (6, 6′)contain identification data, limiting data and product release data foreach of the filter elements (8) and/or the filtration apparatus (2, 3)and/or for the filtration process.
 40. The filtration system as claimedin claim 39, wherein the article numbers and individual numbers for thefilter elements (8) and for the filtration apparatuses (2, 3) and codesfor the filtration process may be used as identification data.
 41. Thefiltration system as claimed in claim 39, wherein the integrity data forthe filter elements (8), temperature details, pressure details, pHvalues, a substance concentration, flow details, operating times, life,flow rates for fluid to be filtered or for filtrate, the number ofpermissible sterilization and/or cleaning cycles of the filtrationprocess can be used as limiting data.
 42. The filtration system asclaimed in claim 39, wherein the integrity data, determined by themanufacturer, for the filter elements (8) can be used as product releasedata.
 43. The filtration system as claimed in claim 31, wherein the datainterchange means (11, 12, 13) represents a data network.
 44. Thefiltration system as claimed in claim 43, wherein the Internet is usedas the data network.
 45. The filtration system as claimed in claim 31,wherein beams, in particular light or radio-frequency beams, are used asthe data interchange means (11, 12, 13).
 46. The filtration system asclaimed in claim 31, wherein the data interchange means (11, 12, 13) isa mobile data storage medium.
 47. The filtration system as claimed inclaim 31, wherein the test equipment lines (10) are lines for testgases.
 48. The filtration system as claimed in claim 31, wherein thedata lines (10) are connected to measurement instruments fordetermination of filtration process data.
 49. The filtration system asclaimed in claim 32, wherein the electronic memory elements are in theform of external transponders which are preferably arranged with thefiltration apparatuses (2, 3).
 50. The filtration system as claimed inclaim 31, wherein the filter elements (8) are chosen from the group offilter cartridges, filter capsules, filter cassettes, filter windingmodules, flat filter elements or a combination of them.
 51. A method forcarrying out a filtration process for fluids via filter elements whichare located in filtration apparatuses, in which at least a minimumamount of identification data is supplied to a monitoring and/or testset, the improvement wherein the filtration process is started, iscarried out and/or is stopped on reaching a limiting data item via aprocess control device (5, 5′), which is connected to the monitoringand/or test set (4) by supplying the identification data, by providinglimiting data and product release data from a filter element database(6, 6′) and by determining integrity and/or filtration process datawhile carrying out the filtration process and by comparison of the data.52. The method as claimed in claim 51, wherein the following steps arecarried out: a) the individualizing identification data for each filterelement (8) for each filtration apparatus (2, 3) and/or identificationdata for the filtration process to be carried out are/is entered in theprocess control device (5, 5′), b) the identification data according toa) is transferred to the filter element database (6, 6′) and a check iscarried out to determine whether the filter elements (8) and/orfiltration apparatuses (2, 3) specified for the filtration process havebeen selected, and whether the filter elements (8) and/or the filtrationapparatus (2, 3) have/has been released for this purpose, c) thefiltration system (1) is inhibited if at least one filter element (8)and/or one filtration apparatus (2, 3) has been chosen incorrectly or ifat least one filter element (8) is inhibited, d) limiting data andproduct release data for each of the filter elements (8) for eachfiltration apparatus (2, 3) and/or each filtration apparatus (2, 3)and/or for the filtration process are called up from the filter elementdatabase (6, 6′) by the process control device (5, 5′), and this data isentered, or is added and entered, in the electronic memory element (15)that is associated with the respective filtration apparatus (2, 3) forstorage of limit values and product release values for process dataand/or integrity data, e) permissible tolerance values are determinedand stored, f) the filtration process is started by the process controldevice (5, 5′), g) process data and/or integrity data are/is measured bythe monitoring and/or test set (4) and this data is entered, or is addedand entered, in the respective memory element (15), h) a comparisonprocess is carried out to determine whether the measured process dataand/or integrity data or their/its sums exceed/exceeds one of thepermissible tolerance values, i) the filtration process is terminatedand the filtration system 1 is inhibited when one of the tolerancevalues is reached or exceeded and the filter elements (8) in the filterelement database (6) are inhibited.
 53. The method as claimed in claim51, wherein the identification data is entered by machine by a reader.54. The method as claimed in claim 51, wherein the filter elementdatabase (6′) is connected to an external database (14) at least attimes, in order to interchange data.
 55. The method as claimed in claim54, wherein the connection for an external database (14) is made via adata network.
 56. The method as claimed in claim 51, wherein the filterelement database (6, 6′) is connected to a mobile data storage medium inorder to interchange data.
 57. The method as claimed in claims 51,wherein the process control device (5) is connected to the externalfilter element database (6) via a data network.
 58. The method asclaimed in claim 51, wherein the current process data is stored as arecord in the filter element database (6, 6′).
 59. A computer programproduct for carrying out a filtration process for fluids as claimed inclaim 51, wherein the program parts can be called up from a programmemory and assist the process of carrying out the filtration process.60. The computer program product as claimed in claim 59, wherein programparts can be called up from the program memory which assist thecommunication between the filter elements (8) and/or the filtrationapparatuses (2, 3) and the monitoring and/or test set (4) and/or aprocess control device (5, 5′) and/or the filter element database (6,6′).